Arsenale Group has announced the appointment of Fabrizio Gaggio as CEO of its new Hospitality Business Unit. Based in Rome, he took up his post in September 2026. He brings more than thirty years of experience in hotel asset management, particularly in the luxury segment, both in Italy and internationally.
Turning opportunities into high-value projects
According to the group, Fabrizio Gaggio will steer the development of the new Business Unit and its portfolio. He will coordinate the various teams in order to turn new opportunities into high-value projects. Arsenale highlights his in-depth knowledge of the sector and a strategic vision set to support the group’s growth trajectory.
In practical terms, the new CEO will define and implement the group’s hotel strategy. He will oversee the development, positioning and performance of the portfolio, as well as the coordination of investment and development activities. He will also act as the link between shareholder objectives and the operational execution of projects.
The appointment comes during a busy period for the group chaired by Paolo Barletta. In June 2026, Arsenale successfully completed the placement of a €300 million senior secured bond, intended to finance its 2026-2030 strategic plan. In September, it took a 33% stake in SJourney, a pioneer of luxury rail travel in Vietnam.
A career spanning finance and asset management
A graduate in corporate finance from Bocconi University, Fabrizio Gaggio began his career in 1990 at Arthur Andersen in Milan, in the Corporate Finance and Investment Banking division. He then became Group Financial Controller at Euromobiliare, before joining Forte Hotels in 1994 as Chief Financial Officer of Forte Italia, working between Rome and London.
From 1996 to 2008, he headed the Lungarno Collection, the hotel brand of the Salvatore Ferragamo group, overseeing its launch, management and development. He then joined Starhotels in Florence as Managing Director until 2012, where he was responsible for portfolio development, operations, technical services and the management of the company.
From 2012 to 2015, he was Senior Vice President Global Asset Management at Millennium & Copthorne Hotels, which at the time operated 110 four- and five-star hotels in 20 countries. There, he managed a global investment programme worth £340 million. He also led the acquisition of the Grand Hotel Palace on Via Veneto in Rome (87 rooms), bought from the Boscolo group for €65.5 million, as well as a proposed acquisition of a €220 million portfolio of Italian hotels.
From Gruppo UNA to Starhotels
From August 2016 to February 2024, Fabrizio Gaggio was Managing Director of Gruppo UNA, formed through the combination of Atahotels and Una Hotels and owned by Unipol Gruppo. There, he led the management and development of a portfolio of 40 hotels and resorts, totalling more than 5,000 rooms. In parallel, from 2012 to 2016, he sat on the advisory board of Quiksilver Hotels & Resorts International.
In March 2024, he returned to Starhotels, this time as Co-CEO and Asset Director. The Florence-based group, which LTH recently covered on the occasion of the appointment of Alexandro Della Croce as Chief Commercial Officer, is Italy’s largest private hotel group.
A profile built for a platform in the making
Analysis – The choice of an executive with a background in finance and asset management reflects the nature of Arsenale’s model, under which the group develops, owns and manages its assets. The group has already opened the Orient Express La Minerva in Rome, followed by the Orient Express Venezia, in partnership with Accor. Fabrizio Gaggio’s experience in acquisitions, repositioning and the management of multi-asset portfolios is well suited to this structuring phase.
At a glance by The Hospitality Tribune
Arsenale Group appoints Fabrizio Gaggio as CEO of its new Hospitality Business Unit
Role: CEO Hospitality, based in Rome, effective September 2026
Mandate: lead the development of the new unit’s hotel portfolio and turn new opportunities into high-value projects
Background: more than 30 years in hotel asset management, including Managing Director of Gruppo UNA (40 hotels, 5,000+ rooms) and Starhotels
Asset management: former SVP Global Asset Management at Millennium & Copthorne, overseeing a £340m capex portfolio
Context: follows Arsenale’s €300m senior secured bond and its 2026-2030 strategic plan
